AdBlocker Detected!

We know, advertisements are annoying and slow down the internet. Unfortunately, this is how we pay the bills and our authors.
We would love for you to enjoy our content, we've worked hard on providing it. Please whitelist our site in your adblocker, refresh the page, and enjoy!

Sponsored Links

In the blue corner, we have the Mustang Shelby GT500 — weighing in at 3,850 pounds and cranking out 650 horses and 600 pound-feet of torque. In the yellow corner, we have the Camaro ZL1 — being responsible for 4,120 pounds of mass and making 580 horsepower and 556 lb.-ft. of twist. Which looks faster on paper?

You could imagine our elation when, at an Arizona drive event for the ZL1, Camaro Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser told Autoblog, “We’ve done simulations. We predict that the ZL1 will be quicker to 60 than the [2013] GT500… We ran the Nürburgring and released a time. Ford took the GT500, too, and never released a time. I guess you can draw your own conclusions.”

Autoblog then proceeded to ask Oppenheiser point-blank if the ZL1 is quicker around the ‘Ring. “No question”, replied Oppenheiser.

The GM Authority Take

For starters, this is the same valiant Al Oppenheiser who told Mustang fans “You’re Welcome” for prompting Ford to do its best with the GT500. Ultimately, all of the ‘Stang’s power may not be any good if it can’t be put to the ground in some effective manner.

And let’s remember that the Mustang is still toting around that solid rear axle compared to the all-independent suspenders outfitted with third gen Magentic Ride shocks on the ZL1. Now, let’s give credit where credit is due: Ford has done some very respectable things to bring that solid rear axle into the 21st century, so this aspect may not matter one bit. And when it comes to the ‘Ring… well, the driver can make all the difference, as well.

Here’s what should happen: Mr. Oppenheiser should invite Ford and its GT500 to a tug-of-war… on the strip. But The Blue Oval already declined this, as it did with the heavy duty tug-o-war invitation. In that case, Chevy should give the GM Authority team the keys to a ZL1 and Ford should give Ford Authority the keys to a GT500. And we’ll settle it, once and for all.

PS: and where is the Challenger in all of this?

2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Sponsored Links

GM Authority is looking for professional automotive journalists with at least three years of experience to join our rapidly-growing team. We pay between $60,000 and $80,000 per year. More details here.

— Alex Luft

GM Authority Founder with a passion for global automotive business strategy.

Scotty, may I direct your attention to the third paragraph of the GMA take:

“Here’s what should happen: Mr. Oppenheiser should invite Ford and its GT500 to a tug-of-war… on the strip. But knowing The Blue Oval, it will most likely respectfully decline, as it did with the heavy duty invitation. In that case, Chevy should give the GM Authority team the keys to a ZL1 and Ford should give Ford Authority the keys to a GT500. And we’ll settle it, once and for all.”

I meant best overall, true some GM models might have more power compared to their Ford counterparts, and vice versa, but when it comes to fuel economy, interior, looks, reliability, and power(in some models like the half ton) the F-series are superior, though I think both are superb vehicles and I would take any of them anyday, its just that I prefer the F-series.

Fuel economy-Ford as the hybrid costs a ton which offsets any fuel savings unless you keep it 10+ years and drive it regularly
Interior-ford
Looks- Not debateable the Ford simply looks better
Reliability- Ford(my f150 was more reliable in terms of little things going wrong)
Power- I thing GM can claim this one but by a small margin

Fords V6’s both get 23 MPG HWY, that’s 2WD. ecoboost is a new technology that gets 1 more mile per gallon (hwy) then outdated 5.3 V8 4×4 Silverado. Yes EB is more powerful, and can get a load faster up the mountain, but with 8k trailer it’ll average less then 10 MPG compare to around 13 with Silverado. Doesn’t matter how much more hybrids cost, GM full size trucks still owns the fuel economy.

5.3 is a great motor, but the BEST American motor was ever produced was the 350, no Ford engine can come close.

What year ford you have? how many miles, engine size?

I had a 2002 Superduty 7.3 Powerstroke back in a day, at 25k had oil leaks, with few minor problems, at 32k my turbo took a dump. You think thats reliable?

Do you really think the 2010 Chevy aveo is less cheap and better then the 2010 Fiesta?

But wouldnt that be an unfair comparision because the aveo is outdated when the fiesta is new. My point is that one cannot make such subjective claims rationally, especially when you have no data or experiance to back up your claim.

I am not sure how this went from a discussion about ZL1 vs. GT500 to trucks. My personal opinion is that my GMC trucks are better than both Ford or Chevy. That of course is my opinion.

When it comes to the original discussion I would say that the ZL1 will definitly beat the GT500 around the track but will probably loose in the 1/4. The one thing you should look at is that if the GT500 would have set a better time on the Nurburgring they would have said so. The time the ZL1 put up was impressive and beat several high priced foreign sports cars. If Ford had done that they wouldn’t be keeping it under their hat. When it comes to the 1/4 mile it is all about horse power and torgue. The ZL1 may have a slight advantage in the suspension but it will probably not be enough to overcome the afore mentioned problem.

I will have to say that the ZL1 will own Ford at least for the 2012 model year. Of that there is know doubt.

This harkens back to the century-old GM vs. Ford discussion. That’s how we got on to trucks, I think.

My question to you is, how is a rebadged Chevy called a GMC better than a Chevy… or how is it that a truck line that hasn’t received any noteworthy updates in over 2.5 years better than a Ford truck that’s been updated every year with various improvements large and small?

Other than that, there is another element to 1/4 mile performance: power delivery. If the car can’t put it down, it doesn’t matter how much power it makes. And I don’t think the GT500 will put it down in any effective manner.

It’s a known fact that manufacturers redesign cars/trucks every five years. They don’t “upgrade” them yearly, they refine their designs–such as tweaking engines to get better performance/horsepower, upgrading suspension, updating options (gps), etc. They may make minor changes to front and back ends to make them look fresh. They’d all be under if they did a new design yearly. My neighbor has a late model Explorer, it’s garbage and he admits it, but he’s a diehard Ford guy. I’ve had bad GM cars in the 1990s, but I continue to buy them for their reliabillity. I had a 2008 Silverado just sold because I wanted a Camaro. Buy what you want, quit trashing everyone who doesn’t agree with you, this is America and that’s why you can have free choice. I believe most if not all cars built today are dependable and it’s a matter of choice, not quality. Just because I had a bad experience with one or two cars in my lifetime doesn’t prevent me from buying that brand again. This isn’t high school!

I wasn’t saying that GMC was better than Chevy or for that matter Ford. My personal preference happens to be GMC. I like the look better than the Chevy (grill, tail lights, hood, side panels and interior). I like that my Denali has a better look than the standard Yukon. This is my opinion. Remember opinions are like a**holes, everybody has one.

I have to agree that on the 1/4 mile the ZL1 and GT500 with stock tires that the ZL1 should take the GT500 because of the traction control. If you put slicks on both of them it would appear from the specs that the GT500 has the upper hand. I do think that the ZL1 has more to give than how it ships stock. The ZL1 has a 6.2 liter engine and the GT500 is supposed to have a 5.8 liter. I think with a laptop you could turn the 580hp into 650hp easily. I am a GM person and always have been so the ZL1 is it for me. I have friends with Mustangs and that is their choice. I also have friends that will only but Mopar. We are still friends. All I can say and maybe this will open a new can of worms is, buy American.